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India supplying arms to Yangon
April 11, 2008: (The Sangai Express) Imphal: Under a diplomatic tie-up between India and Myanmar, the Government of India has been providing arms and ammunition worth crores of rupees to the Myanmarese junta to strengthen defence capability of the eastern neighbour.
A reliable source informed The Sangai Express that the Government of India provided arms and ammunition worth Rs 44, 60,680 to the Myanmarese junta during 2004-05 without charging any money.
More free supply of arms and ammunition followed during 2005-06 and 2006-07, their monetary value being Rs 37, 78,669 and Rs 56, 44, 28,560.
So far, the Government of India has supplied arms and ammunition worth Rs 57, 26, 67,909 free of cost in a friendly gesture to the junta.
The arms supplied by New Delhi to Yangon included heavy and sophisticated weapons capable of firing mortar shells. Under an understanding among the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Defence and Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India, the arms and ammunition were delivered to Myanmar by road through Moreh after crossing several North Eastern States.
Even though the arms consignments were granted customs clearance at Moreh, the Government of Manipur was never informed of the arms and ammunition transported through the State, disclosed the source.
It further disclosed that the Government of India started aiding the Myanmarese junta by providing arms and ammunition free of cost since 2003.
In that year alone, 110 truck loads of arms and ammunition were supplied to Myanmar.
The largest consignment of arms and ammunition was dispatched this year, it added.